Carrier Scorecard

A carrier scorecard is a structured evaluation tool that aggregates a carrier's performance data into a single, comparable view. Shippers use scorecards to measure how well each carrier in their network performs against agreed-upon benchmarks, typically reviewed monthly or quarterly. The scorecard turns subjective impressions – "they're usually pretty good" – into objective, defensible data.

A typical scorecard includes on-time pickup and delivery percentages, tender acceptance rate, claims ratio, average transit time versus committed transit time, billing accuracy, and accessorial charge frequency. Some shippers weight these metrics differently depending on their priorities – a cold chain shipper might weight on-time delivery more heavily than cost per mile, while a CPG shipper with tight retail compliance windows might prioritize OTIF above all else.

Scorecards matter because they drive accountability. When carriers know they're being measured – and that scorecard results influence routing guide position and future RFP invitations – performance tends to improve. They also give shippers leverage in rate negotiations: a carrier with a 98% on-time record can justify a premium, while one at 88% can't. Without scorecards, shippers end up making routing decisions on gut feel or defaulting to whoever is cheapest, which almost always costs more in the long run through service failures and customer complaints.

The shift toward real-time dashboards has made scorecards more dynamic. Rather than compiling data in a spreadsheet at quarter-end, modern platforms generate scorecards continuously from live shipment data – so a logistics manager can pull a carrier's current performance at any moment, not just during a scheduled review.